Vladimir Putin was shown the modernized Yak-130M combat trainer aircraft for the first time at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. Alexander Guskov, a test pilot for Yakovlev, reported to the president on the progress of testing and the advantages of the aircraft.

The Yak-130M is a deep modernization of the basic Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with the latest onboard systems that turn it into an effective light combat aircraft. The Yak-130M is capable of engaging ground and air targets, including heavy unmanned aerial vehicles, in all weather conditions, day and night.

The updated aircraft is equipped with modernized avionics with new information display systems. It has equipment that allows the use of high-precision air-to-surface weapons, as well as short-range air-to-air guided missiles. The maximum combat load is up to 3 tons, and guided missiles and bombs up to 500 kg can be placed on four hardpoints.

Earlier, the authors of Military Watch Magazine emphasized that the updated version of the aircraft has become much more effective for solving real combat missions. The modification is capable not only of performing training functions but also of countering drones and delivering high-precision strikes against ground targets. According to experts, the modernization significantly reduced the Yak-130M's lag behind other aircraft of a similar class.